Basic Windwalking

Rather than covering each fight individually, I’ve decided to cover the raid as a whole. This page is devoted to performing your job as a Windwalker in Hellfire Citadel. I will cover surviving and maximizing your DPS through padding in future pages. This information is what I’ve found works best from my experiences.

Obviously there are other resources beyond myself that cover this information, here are the good ones I’ve found:

Hellfire Assault

During this fight your priority is to kill the spawns as quickly as you can. Rushing Jade Wind works better than Chi Torpedo due to how frequently there are groups of adds to kill. Keep RJW cycling as often as you can and use Chi Explosion to dump Chi. Be sure to use Storm, Earth, and Fire 100% of the time in order to maximize the cleave. The exception is if the Siege Weapons are off on their own, then cancel SEF so that you don’t lose DPS on the weapons.

At the start of the fight, cast SEF on two of the adds and attack the Siegemaster. After Siegemaster runs away your priority for killing targets is: Siege Weapons > Gorebound Terror (Felcaster who used Metamorphosis) > Hulking Beserker > Gorebound Felcaster (if no Terrors are up) > Contracted Engineer > Iron Dragoon

Be sure to use Touch of Death liberally on this fight, try to use it on the higher priority targets, primarily the Terrors so that they die as quickly as possible.

If you’re assigned to grab boxes, pick them up and Flying Serpent Kick where they need to go.

MYTHIC

Not much changes, just less temptation to mindlessly pad. We found it very quick and easy for me to run boxes with Tiger’s Lust, Roll, and the speed buff it gives you. Rushing Jade Wind may not be as useful as there are less adds to consistently AOE.

Iron Reaver

This is a pretty standard tank and spank fight for melee. Be sure to watch the timers for when Iron Reaver will use Blitz, and be sure not to lose cooldown uptime when he runs away from you. When he flies up, cast SEF on the bombs that he drops and don’t stand in fire.

Your raid should have ranged in a position separate from the melee so be sure you’re not standing between Iron Reaver and his ranged target for Barrage.

Try to alternate Dampen Harm and Touch of Karma during Pound to minimize damage taken.

If your raid will get a second flying stage, then use Touch of Death on a bomb during the first flying phase.

MYTHIC

Roll is a very useful tool to stay out of the frequent Barrages. Dampen Harm will not trigger from Pound, but will allow you to soak a Reactive Firebomb assuming you’re not already low on health.

Kormrok

Spec: Chi Burst, Chi Brew, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Serenity

This fight is very similar to Kromog from Blackrock Foundry. When the boss is pulled, save any cooldowns that you can for after he first jumps into whatever slime he’s closest to. After he jumps back then pop all CDs and go crazy. Watch the timers for when Grasping Hands are spawning and be sure to have a full stack of TEB, potion, Chi Burst and your finger on your Spinning Crane Kick button. Depending on your raid you may or may not have time to cast SEF before going crazy on the hands.

Use a defensive CD if you’re assigned to soak any Explosive Runes and spread out during Pound to minimize friendly splash damage.

MYTHIC

Save Chi Burst for the frequent Grasping Hands. Place a SEF clone on the tank hand. Touch of Karma helps mitigate some damage from stacking up for hands. Be sure to have Zen Med and/or Diffuse Magic up for times when Pound overlaps the Waves, its better to Zen Med and stay alive with no DPS than try to avoid waves and risk killing others.

Hellfire Council

Spec: Chi Wave, Ascension, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Chi Explosion

At the start of the fight, cast SEF on Dia and the target you’re not focusing on, unless specifically told by the raid leader that you should focus 100% on single target.

If you’re targeted by Fel Rage, dismiss any and all SEF clones and focus entirely on Bloodboil.

When Blademaster casts Mirror Images, use SEF on them if time allows. Depending on the speed of your kill, you can also use Touch of Death on the first boss or target to go down if it will be up for the final push on Dia.

Dismiss SEF clones when directed to by raid strategy or raid leader and focus on the targets assigned.

MYTHIC

I found cleave spec to be more beneficial after consulting with my raid leaders. The difference was 8 mil on Bloodboil, or 6-7mil each on Bloodboil and Blademaster. If you are not cleaving then Soul Capacitor may not be the best trinket to use. SEF is a great tool for the Mirror Images phase and you should be able to nearly take down one or two image that range is attacking or farther if you choose.

Kilrogg

Spec: Zen Sphere, Chi Brew, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Serenity

This fight is rather straight forward. Attack Kilrogg with everything you’ve got. When a Hulking Terror spawns, switch to it and focus on that, using Touch of Death to finish it off if available.

Depending on raid strategy and composition, you may be able to use SEF on the Salivating Bloodthirsters in order to get them down faster.

If you’re not going in the Vision phase its essentially Tank and Spank. If you are going in the vision, then just spam SCK on all the targets that come by, make sure to keep Tiger Power up, dump Chi with Fists of Fury. Save offensive CD’s for before that phase so that you have as many stacks of TEB going in and will have at least 10 coming out. Be sure to have Xuen, Serenity, and second potion available as well.

MYTHIC

Due to how many adds are out frequently, Chi Explosion spec works best as does liberal use of SEF. You likely won’t be going in the Vision phase, so focus on the adds when they are up. Soak the puddle when the large add dies, and don’t be standing near it when it does, resist the urge to use Touch of Death on it.

Gorefiend

Spec: Zen Sphere, Chi Brew, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Serenity

Similar to Kormrok, save major cooldowns for a few seconds into the fight in case you are teleported into Gorefiend’s stomach.

Avoid void swirls on the ground and run out to the assigned location if you get the debuff. Run toward the anchored player if you get a line attached to you.

Save Xuen, Serenity, potions, and as many stacks of TEB as you can get for the Feasts of Souls as Gorefiend takes 100% more damage during this time. Also save defensive cooldowns for this period as you will be taking a lot of damage.

Feasts of Souls occurs two minutes in and lasts for one minute. Serenity will come up again before Feasts of Souls, so save it till then. Once you use Serenity during Feast of Souls and on cooldown the next time, it will be up for a second Feast of Souls so be attentive to that. Use Xuen shortly into Feasts of Souls so that it will be up for the full duration and a second Feasts of Souls if you get one.

If you’re ported inside, I recommend not using SEF as you will be unable to focus down two targets at a time without assistance. Be sure to port out before time is up.

MYTHIC

Your job will likely be to focus the boss and large add that spawns. Be careful with any Mirror of Soul Cap use, or avoid those trinkets completely if your strategy doesn’t allow for them. Toss SEF on any full health or high small adds if needed. Touch of Death inside the stomach can kill any add.

Shadow-Lord Iskar

Focus the boss, be sure to use Chi Explosion at 3 Chi, and use Tiger Palm to drop from 4 to 3 for added damage.

When adds spawn, cast SEF on two lower priority adds and focus whatever the highest priority add is as determined by your raid strategy and leader. Keep RJW spinning when adds are out and be sure to have Chi Burst available for when they spawn. Use Chi Explosion to dump Chi.

Be sure, if cleaving using SEF, that the primary targets are being hit by Chi Explosion and RJW. Save Touch of Death for the priority targets so that they die quickly.

If targeted by Fel Chakram be sure to roll out to the assigned location as quickly as possible.

When the time comes for the Eye of Anzu and Phantasmal Winds, performing that correctly takes priority over all else, stop using abilities if needed to execute it as quickly as possible.

MYTHIC

Save cooldowns for then the big add spawns and AOE/Cleave your face off.

Socrethar

Spec: Zen Sphere, Chi Brew, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Serenity

You can take Chi Burst if you’re raid is struggling to kill the ghosts.

This is essentially a tank and spank. Use Touch of Death on the construct before it dies and save it for any and all Dominators that spawn.

Focus Socrethar but use SEF on the casters that spawn for some extra damage and help. Avoid getting hit by things and roll out if you are targetted by anything.

MYTHIC

Basically the same as Heroic/Normal

Fel Lord Zakuun

Spec: Zen Sphere, Chi Brew, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Serenity

Standard tank and spank. Stand off to the side so that you don’t get hit by the waves. Use Diffuse Magic and Touch of Karma to take less damage during high damage phases.

Watch the timer for Disarmed to begin and end so that you aren’t wasting cooldown uptime.

Xhul’horac

Always keep an SEF clone on the large adds that spawn. Watch the timer for Imps so that you can cast RJW and Chi Burst at the right time. Insure that any SEF targets are cleaving onto the boss. Use Roll and/or Transcendence to jump out to deposit fire.

Diffuse Magic and Touch of Karma will help with incoming fire damage if you get stuck or are going to explode.

Imps can be stunned.

MYTHIC

Imps are your highest focus. Put a SEF on each of the large adds and time RJW and Chi Burst to blow them up ASAP. Save defensives for sub 30%. Other than that, its basically the same fight.

Tyrant Velhari

Spec: Chi Wave, Ascension, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Chi Explosion

Always have a SEF clone on the add that comes out for increased damage to both targets. Use Touch of Death on every add, it should be up for all.

Diffuse Magic and Touch of Karma are useful for surviving the large magic damage.

If you’re bad at moving for the fire jets, Diffuse Magic, Touch of Karma, or Zen Meditation will keep you alive. You can also use up your energy before hand, roll to safety, and use Chi Explosion and Expel Harm from range to do some damage while staying alive.

MYTHIC

Basically the same fight, just stay alive.

Mannoroth

Spec: Zen Sphere, Chi Brew, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Serenity

AOE spec may work for this fight, but many other classes are better at killing the adds than Windwalkers so its a risk that may result in less damage overall.

Use Touch of Karma and/or Diffuse Magic when helping to soak Mannoroth’s gaze.

Tiger’s Lust, Roll, and Flying Serpent Kick should make staying on the platform during Shadowforce. Just be careful you don’t run or roll off the other side with the speed buff after its gone.

MYTHIC

Chi Burst, Ascension, Chi Torpedo, Chi Explosion are your friends, put SEF on everything and time Chi Torpedo/Burst for Imps spawning. This fight is a Windwalker’s dream. Be sure to use Torpedo, FSK, Tiger’s Lust (if you took it) to stay alive in Shadowforce. Ample defensives for Gaze and Shadowforce.

Archimonde

Spec: Chi Burst, Ascension, Diffuse Magic, Xuen, Chi Explosion

In my opinion, there are not enough adds regularly to merit using Rushing Jade Wind.

Maintain as much SEF and cleave as possible. Use Touch of Death on the Hellfire Deathcaller to minimize tank damage.

Use Transcendence to get quickly back to a spot if needed and Roll to move quickly through fire while getting as few stacks as possible.

When the Deathstalkers are out, use Spinning Crane Kick and stay out of the circles.

While there was much fear by many people going into this tier, Windwalkers can be very strong and reliable if played correctly and using the full toolkit. Windwalker’s shine the most on the later and more difficult fights on the instance.

Good luck, I will update if things change or I have other tips. As always, feel free to ask any questions and I will get back to you as quickly as I can.